[mikemoper]

Hello,

I'm just using vanilla Kodi (no streaming plugins) and my Xiaomi Soundbar is aparently no longer supported by Kodi 19 since they stopped supporting AMLogic workarounds (see logs for crashing bug: https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid...id=3067458).

From: 19607 (GH issue)

The hacks for non standard firmware were removed from v19 entirely, we only support Android's standard Audiotrack enumerated formats. As your box seems to use amlogic special firmware which is not compatible, please stay on v18.

I'm ok with buying a new Android box. But what's the current best option?

What are members of the Dev Team using?

-MM

[Klojum]

I'm ok with buying a new Android box. But what's the current best option?

Does it have to be specifically Android? The Raspberry Pi4 with LibreELEC has a good amount of community support and is fully under development. It's a pretty simple and stable solution. On the downside, Raspberry Pis are hard(er) to find because of the big chip shortage.

[DarrenHill]

Thread moved to the hardware section

[Klojum]

What are members of the Dev Team using?

Hm.. Not a dev, but I use a Raspberry Pi 4B with LibreELEC, and Intel J5005 x86/64 hardware with a Linux OS for Kodi.

[emveepee]

IMO this question is too dependent on the media you play and how sophisticated a user you are.  For basic OTA PVR users in the US going to Walmart and getting a $20 ONN or a $30 TiVo4K as a complete system with remote is hard to beat.  FireTV and CWGTV online are only a little more.  Widevine built-in in is a definite plus.   I'd even start there before going with the Nvidia Shield for general use.

If you aren't in the US, if you need wired Ethernet or if you want a remote that is more then DPAD and a back key it becomes much more complex. 

Kodi's biggest problem on Android is generally the 8GB limit especially with bloat.

I'm not Kodi Team, but my machine of choice is the Odroid N2 with CE19 I find it better than LE10 on the RPi4. 

If you want all the bells and whistles I don't think there is a perfect solution with all the combinations of HDR, DV, AV1, AC-4, pass through, decoding, and DRM so buyer beware.

Martin

[mikemoper]

What are members of the Dev Team using?

Hm.. Not a dev, but I use a Raspberry Pi 4B with LibreELEC, and Intel J5005 x86/64 hardware with a Linux OS for Kodi.

Cool.
What's the favorite remote to use with the Pi4B?
And are you doing the Audio out of the HDMI or is there an AC3 solution?
-MM

[Klojum]

What's the favorite remote to use with the Pi4B?
And are you doing the Audio out of the HDMI or is there an AC3 solution?

- The TV's remote, using CEC.
- Just HDMI, for the TV's own speakers. Or I use a set of BT headphones.

[Zuikkis]

If you want all the bells and whistles I don't think there is a perfect solution with all the combinations of HDR, DV, AV1, AC-4, pass through, decoding, and DRM so buyer beware.

Nvidia Shield Pro is probably best in that aspect, it supports pretty much everything you might need? For DV mkv's you currently need a special build, but I guess that's the same in any Kodi platform.

However there is the frame skipping issue which is currently being investigated in the Android forum. It was fine with Kodi 18.9 so probably will be eventually fixed in 19 as well..

[clarkss12]

I use a Beelink Mini 2, that I dual boot into CoreELEC which plays everything, and has HD audio support. In addition to automatic frame rate and resolution switching, it outputs all the audio codecs.  It also plays Netflix in 1080 with automatic frame rate and resolution switching, and outputs Dolby Atmos.

As far as the Android interface, I use the slimbox firmware.  That modded firmware, gives me automatic frame rate and resolution switching with all the HD audio codecs, under Kodi.  This will do the same as CoreELEC, EXCEPT, no Amlogic boxes can decode the VC-1 video codec, so they are unplayable.   A lot of my Blu-ray rips are encoded with this VC-1 video codec.  Therefore, I have to use either Emby server which transcodes the VC-1 codec on the fly or use CoreELEC.

The Beelink mini 2 is no longer produced, but I am sure most of the Amlogic S905X3 boxes perform similarly, just make sure they have a gigabit Ethernet port.

[grey]

I use a Beelink Mini 2, that I dual boot into CoreELEC which plays everything, and has HD audio support. In addition to automatic frame rate and resolution switching, it outputs all the audio codecs.  It also plays Netflix in 1080 with automatic frame rate and resolution switching, and outputs Dolby Atmos.

As far as the Android interface, I use the slimbox firmware.  That modded firmware, gives me automatic frame rate and resolution switching with all the HD audio codecs, under Kodi.  This will do the same as CoreELEC, EXCEPT, no Amlogic boxes can decode the VC-1 video codec, so they are unplayable.   A lot of my Blu-ray rips are encoded with this VC-1 video codec.  Therefore, I have to use either Emby server which transcodes the VC-1 codec on the fly or use CoreELEC.

The Beelink mini 2 is no longer produced, but I am sure most of the Amlogic S905X3 boxes perform similarly, just make sure they have a gigabit Ethernet port.

have you tried Plex on Android? do you still get HD Audio passthrough?

[clarkss12]

I use a Beelink Mini 2, that I dual boot into CoreELEC which plays everything, and has HD audio support. In addition to automatic frame rate and resolution switching, it outputs all the audio codecs.  It also plays Netflix in 1080 with automatic frame rate and resolution switching, and outputs Dolby Atmos.

As far as the Android interface, I use the slimbox firmware.  That modded firmware, gives me automatic frame rate and resolution switching with all the HD audio codecs, under Kodi.  This will do the same as CoreELEC, EXCEPT, no Amlogic boxes can decode the VC-1 video codec, so they are unplayable.   A lot of my Blu-ray rips are encoded with this VC-1 video codec.  Therefore, I have to use either Emby server which transcodes the VC-1 codec on the fly or use CoreELEC.

The Beelink mini 2 is no longer produced, but I am sure most of the Amlogic S905X3 boxes perform similarly, just make sure they have a gigabit Ethernet port.

have you tried Plex on Android? do you still get HD Audio passthrough?

I tested Plex running on this device with the Slimbox firmware, but not HD audio passthrough.  It does automatically switch to the proper frame rate and resolution.  It does output PCM.
Running Kodi on this device, it does the auto frame rate and resolution switching AND the HD audio codecs.

[grey]

Running Kodi on this device, it does the auto frame rate and resolution switching AND the HD audio codecs.

but you’re not on Android any longer, you need openelec or something, right?

[clarkss12]

Running Kodi on this device, it does the auto frame rate and resolution switching AND the HD audio codecs.

but you’re not on Android any longer, you need openelec or something, right?

You, are NOT correct.  The Slimbox modded firmware runs on Android, Android ATV to be exact.

[hdmkv]

@clarkss12, thinking of trying Slimbox modded firmware on my X96 Air (S905X3) box. How do I find out which revision my box is?

[clarkss12]

@clarkss12, thinking of trying Slimbox modded firmware on my X96 Air (S905X3) box. How do I find out which revision my box is?

That is a very good question, that particular device sure has a lot of options.
The model number and serial number on the bottom of your box should be able to allow you to do a search.
Out of the dozens and dozens of different boxes that I have installed different ROMs on, I have never bricked one that I could not recover.